Truck drivers are the backbone of the economy, and their safety is of the utmost importance. Not only are they at special risk of traffic
accidents, but truck driving comes with a host of other dangers. The easiest way to stay safe while driving any vehicle is being aware of your surroundings and making sure your vehicle is up to maintenance standards and driving defensively, while also understanding the physics of the load you are hauling. Here are some good pieces of safety equipment any trucker should have available to them, whether stuck on the road after an accident or simply while unloading.
Most companies recommend wearing a hard hat the second you exit the cab of your truck. Hauling heavy and dangerous items puts you at extra risk of injury from heavy or sharp items falling on you. Opening your truck for inspections or unloading are also a risk, should anything have shifted or come loose from restraining straps. Having a hard hat at the ready is a great way to prevent an on-the-job injury.
Work sites of all kinds can be excessively loud and potentially filled with flying dangerous objects. Even a small piece of debris can cause serious eye injury, and extra exposure means extra risk. At least a pair of ear plugs and wraparound eye protection should be kept on you for unloading or for moving around worksites you may need to be at. You can find good quality protective eye and ear protection in
most hardware stores
When you’re outside of your truck, at the side of the road or otherwise, you’re a pedestrian, now. Pedestrians need to make their presence known however they can. While you should have flares and reflective barricades for your truck, you also need to make yourself an obvious thing to avoid. High visibility (reflective) vests and other clothing are a great way to ensure that you are visible and to avoid an accident.
Whether you’re opening the back of your trailer for the 1,000th time or just handling a tool, having good protective gloves, such as the kind made of Kevlar, is key to preventing hand injury. We all need our hands, but you need yours to drive and to make a living. Don’t take any of your extremities or your experience for granted – assume that dangers are just that – dangerous – and plan ahead.
A good pair of boots are critical to comfort and safety. You should shop around and find a pair that make driving comfortable and also can protect you (steel toes, etc) from potential injury from heavy falling items. You should also be sure that the boots have good arch support, as a long time using your feet without arch support can be very painful and damaging.
If you have been in a trucking accident, contact RS Law Offices so that you can find out all of your legal options.
blogs
The Car Crash and the Headache
As we slip into the cooler months, and there is more possibility of rain, it is important to keep safe on the road. Accidents happen, especially when it is raining out there in the desert. You know how to be safe – taking extra time on slippery surfaces, making sure you have your car inspected […]
Slip and Fall Injury Facts
Slip and fall injuries are, unfortunately, quite common. They can occur anywhere – a public space, a business, or someone else’s home. The injuries can range in severity but can cause you to miss time away from work and make you incur huge medical debt. If you fell somewhere other than your own home, you […]
Winter Driving Safety Tips
Having your winter tires installed on your car and packing a windshield scraper is a good start to being prepared to drive in the winter, but as the cold weather gets harsher, the driving conditions get worse. With this comes the tendency for some people to overcorrect or not know how to stop properly, or […]
Five Tips for Summer Road Trip Safety
Summer time means warmer weather, and that means road trip time. Whether you’re heading down the street or across the country, there’s always a potential obstacle waiting for you. There’s no reason not to put together a safety checklist, and practice safe driving habits before everything gets crazy. For proper road safety, you’ll want to […]
Who is Liable in a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycles provide less inherent safety than vehicles. As a result, motorcycle accidents have a greater impact on the motorcyclist than a motorist driving a car. According to the NHTSA motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die than car occupants in a crash per vehicle mile traveled. Identifying the party at fault is critical to […]
Bike Maintenence Checklist
For those of us who bike to work, it’s clear that riding around is more than a hobby. Biking is something that can improve your mental and physical health. It can become a way of life, because to do it right takes commitment. You need to learn the best and fastest bike routes, have all […]
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating and freeing. It also can be quite dangerous. Equip yourself with preparedness to ensure every trip you take ends only with a smile and a safe arrival. As always, if the unfortunate does happen, navigating the aftermath of a motorcycle accident is a large undertaking. We are here to help […]
Defensive Driving Courses in California
Driving is one of those things most learn as a teenager and then never really think about again. Most people don’t realize that driving classes are not just helpful for continuing your driving knowledge, they are also applicable for many practical situations as well. Let’s look at some of the benefits of defensive driving courses, […]
Clearing Up Workers Compensation Misconceptions
If we hear the term “workers comp,” we probably feel like we understand the basics – if you get hurt on the job, you file for workers comp, you get time off to heal and hopefully a little extra something along with your salary to make it all easier. In an ideal world, sure, it […]
Mold and LA Renters — Know Your Rights
You may have heard of “mold growth” in passing. Depending on the situation, the story you heard may have been about a simple annoyance, a house deal that fell through, or a sneezing fit. However, there are a lot worse stories than that out there; mold can cause severe allergies, incapacitation, and even worse health […]
contact form
